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What's Our Problem?
- A Self-Help Book for Societies
- Narrated by: Tim Urban
- Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
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What's Our Problem?
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Summary
From the creator of the wildly popular blog Wait but Why, a fun and fascinating deep dive into what the hell is going on in our strange, unprecedented modern times.
Between 2013 and 2016, Tim Urban became one of the world’s most popular bloggers, writing dozens of viral long-form articles about everything from AI to colonizing Mars to procrastination. Then, he turned his attention to a new topic: the society around him. Why was everything such a mess? Why was everyone acting like such a baby? When did things get so tribal? Why do humans do this stuff?
This massive topic sent Tim tumbling down his deepest rabbit hole yet, through mountains of history, evolutionary psychology, political theory, neuroscience, and modern-day political movements, as he tried to figure out the answer to a simple question: What’s our problem?
Six years later, he emerged from the hole with this book. Narrated by the author, What’s Our Problem? is a deep and expansive analysis of our modern times, in the classic style of Wait but Why, packed with original concepts and sticky metaphors. The book provides an entirely new framework and language for thinking and talking about today’s complex world. Instead of focusing on the usual left-center-right horizontal political axis, which is all about what we think, the book introduces a vertical axis that explores how we think, as individuals and as groups. Listeners will find themselves on a delightful and fascinating journey that will ultimately change the way they see the world around them.
Anyway, he wanted to say a lot more about all of this, but there was a word limit on this book description, so just go listen to the book.
What listeners say about What's Our Problem?
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- Mrs F C Thomas
- 14-04-23
5 stars!
Really interesting, I love Tim’s Waitbutwhy blog and this is written in the same style but with much more depth into just one topic. He sums it all up so clearly and has actually really changed my view on things. I’ll be recommending this to all my friends, 5 stars!
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- Anonymous User
- 10-05-23
Great, as always
Do we expect anything less from Tim? The illustrations are amazing and the content richly educational.
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- moe
- 31-08-23
A much needed dose of clear thinking...
... in an otherwise noisy world.
Tim's intellectual honesty can be felt throughout despite falling a little short at times in my opinion, but at the end of the day he's aware that he's human too and clearly strives to take the nuanced approach to understand what's really going on in the US (but also the west more generally, albeit to a lesser extent) right now. Excellent book, highly recommended esp if you've always felt somewhat "In the middle" when everyone around you is telling you to take sides.
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- Husnein Khalid
- 31-05-23
Spot on
Takes the “taking everything back to first principles” concept which I always loved about the wait but why posts, and applies it to the biggest issue facing the world over the last few years. Enlightening
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- G
- 24-05-23
Puts all my recent feelings into simple words
An honest and unbiased challenge to hold ourselves to higher standards of thinking.
important to read, even if you don't agree, actually, especially if you don't fully agree with his point of view. as that's the whole point. hiding from valid argument or criticism only serves to blind us from reality and enables very dangerous behaviours from all sections of society.
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- Andrei Olteanu
- 19-08-23
Fair and brave
This is one of the best books I've listened to in recent years.
The author attempts a clear take on contemporary social trends and warns about their inherent exaggerations and fallacies. The endeavour is clean, never pretentious and comprehensive.
I felt I finished the book with a clearer view of the subject.
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- Tim Johnson
- 08-04-23
Great insights into some key challenges we face
Well written and narrated. Unpacks the mechanisms the many politicians use.
It's a pity that he focuses on BLM movement almost entirely rather than balancing the far left and the far right.
But as he's a great friend of Elon Musk I guess that's not too surprising.
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- Rob
- 17-04-23
Every potential student should read this
Potentially the most important book of the decade or even this century. I only hope another book like this needs to be written because we can learn all we need to here. However, I somehow doubt this will be the end of SNF. Perhaps the beginning of the end though. Thanks for efforts.
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- Sylvain Meneux
- 28-04-23
very important book
very insightful book. highly recommend for anyone whose political views have shifted away from moderation or if, as I did, you struggle to understand how we got where we are with extremist views on both sides becoming mainstream. The narrator did a very good job too.
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- Lianne anderson
- 19-04-23
What a great book!
What a fantastic book! Especially the last chapters. Tim has a way of using analogies that clearly explains where we’re going wrong. The fact he considered himself left of centre author adds to its credibility. I agree left vs right isn’t the true issue… it’s high rung vs low rung thinking.
This book puts words to a growing disquiet that I have been experiencing over the last couple of years. A few years ago, I considered myself a fighter against social injustice and inequity and still do in a lot of ways. I genuinely believe that there isn't a racist bone in my body. I also support people to live in any way they choose as long as it doesn't hurt anybody. However, it has gotten to the point where these labels have become all-encompassing. We cannot just be humans living together in peace anymore. We all have to assign ourselves a label and go to war with other labels. To even voice these concerns is to immediately be branded a bigot without any thinking or consideration of the points. Therefore, most people, including myself, just keep quiet and don’t voice their concerns. Basically intimidated into silence.
In the UK, we don't cleave to our political party in the way it appears to be in America. It's easier to hold ideas on both sides of the spectrum. Like the author, I consider myself slightly left of center, and my hope is that future generations will live in a more egalitarian world. However, I feel that my version of progressiveness has been hijacked and is more authoritarian than liberal.
It is my belief this extreme progressive ideology that had taken over is harmful. indoctrinating an entire generation from an early age to feel guilty for being born white is harmful, just as harmful as teaching an entire generation to feel victimized and 'less than'. In my opinion, it reinforces stereotypes, increases racism rather than reducing it and divides people. My jaw dropped when I read that segregation was back in fashion but to exclude white people… it’s a boon to the right wing and encourages xenophobia. Likewise It is harmful to minimise women to make space for transgender women without any consideration of the outcomes of such changes, especially when it comes to sporting fairness and safety in prisons. People are so afraid to be labelled a bigot or not compassionate that they immediately choose what they believe to be ‘love’ and not think critically.
I guess white, male, left leaning institutions are overcompensating to make up for the sins of the past. I understand where this all comes from, but only time will tell whether it's misguided.
Again, I want to reiterate, I believe in equality and equity… I just want their to be a better way to approach the topic… I believe that viewing every controversial topic as Dichotomy of good and evil is unwise. There is always grey areas, extreme unbending views are never helpful in true progress, and this book certainly makes you question what you think you know..
My only criticism is that I wish he spent more time going over the right wing Gollum. Although he touched on it, it was only lightly. In my opinion the far right is as much of an issue as the far left.
Overall this book is about social justice and the current state of society. The author's personal experiences and observations are relatable and thought-provoking, highlighting the dangers of a society that is too focused on labels and group identities. The writing is clear and concise, making it easy for readers to follow along and understand the author's arguments. The book does not shy away from controversial topics, but instead encourages readers to engage in open and honest dialogue. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the current state of social justice and its impact on society.
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